Sacred Twenty
by Gater101
Summary: 7. He is pretty sure her existence is evidence of heaven.
1. Exodus

Title: Exodus  
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis  
Character/Pairing: Sheppard, Teyla – Sheppard/Teyla  
Prompt: Exodus  
Rating: PG-14  
Notes: "Return pt 1" tag  
Summary: He hates this, this mass exodus of the place they call home.

He hates this, he thinks as he watches them leave through the 'gate; this mass exodus of the place they called home. He turns away as the 'gate snaps shut and ticks the box next to group four. They'd organised their departure into half hour intervals, just to give the SGC's gate room time to clear before the next lot of people came through.

That meant he only had half an hour left. Half an hour in this city, half an hour with her.

They'd already said goodbye – last night, after the others had left – and they'd debated whether or not she would come to the gate room to see them off. She'd told him no; he'd asked for yes. In the end, they agreed that she couldn't _not _be there. Even if just to say goodbye to the others.

He sets the clipboard onto one of the stations in the control room and looks around; it looks so different now that Chuck isn't there with his laptop; that it's an Ancient at the helm. He looks around, sees Helia with Elizabeth and he purses his lips.

He'd tasted Teyla's disappointment last night, so tangible, so different from his own. She'd followed the teachings of these people her whole life; he couldn't imagine how the religious people of Earth would feel if their chosen God returned and tried to banish them from their home. He bites back the bitter lump in his throat and looks away from Helia but he can't rest his eyes anywhere without tasting acrid disappointment.

Half an hour is both too long and not long enough. Twenty three minutes, actually, he realises as he glances at his watch.

He eyes that bags at the bottom of the step and wonders if he's forgotten anything. There's little he brought to Atlantis, so little to forget but he knows that at least one piece is missing. He doesn't think she'll mind when she finds it.

There's nothing left to do but wait and wonder if she'll stay away like he knows she wants to. He doesn't think she will; hopes that she doesn't but he wouldn't be surprised if she did. He takes a quick look around the control room, taking in the Ancient tech one last time and nods to himself. While he may not be at peace with being pushed out of his home, he has accepted it now.

He descends the steps and takes a seat near the bottom. There's nothing left to do but wait and wonder and when a shadow falls over him, he looks up and realises now there isn't even that. She sits beside him and he can feel her thigh against his – _the touch of her mouth against his ear as she gasps for breath _- and he smiles. His hand reaches out and brushes an invisible speck off her thigh and she turns to him, her eyes downcast.

"Thank you," she says quietly and her eyes meet his for a moment.

He nods and looks away; he wonders if she'll think of him when she reads the words scrawled on the back of the poster he left for her. If she'll understand what they mean.

He thinks she will.

Elizabeth walks down the steps and passes them and John looks at his watch; somehow, seventeen minutes have passed and he's only got five left. He meets her eyes for a moment before she stands, brushing her palms over her thighs.

They said goodbye last night.

He realises now it wasn't enough.


	2. Silence

Title: Silence  
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis  
Character/Pairing: Sheppard, Teyla – Sheppard/Teyla  
Prompt: Silence  
Rating: PG-15  
Notes: "This Mortal Coil" tag for sacred20  
Summary: They've seen too much and not done enough.

The silence is startling in its brutality; poignant, resonant, profound. He can feel his heart pound in his chest, can feel the thrum of blood as it sweeps through his veins on waves of adrenaline. He can feel wetness glide past his temple, can taste the irony taste of blood on his lips and he sees her, soundless, on the other side of the clearing watching him as he watches her.

Soundless, eerie silence shakes him and he blinks slowly, hoping that when he opens his eyes there will be something, someone besides them.

Back in Atlantis, their silence continues. The words they need to speak are done with quiet voices, almost mournful and they all separate with silent nods. They've seen too much and done too little and the guilt weighs heavily on them.

When she comes to him that night, there are no words, no sounds, just breathy silence and voiceless caresses. Even the wind seems to dim its volume for them. Her breath washes over his chest as he moves above her, slowly, rhythmically and he brushes his lips against hers as they climax.

Later, he draws circles on her hips and she brushes her fingers through his hair. They don't speak, don't kiss, just stare and touch and feel.

They've seen too much and not done enough.

They rise at dawn to start it all over again.


	3. Revelation

Title: Revelation  
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis  
Character/Pairing: Sheppard, Teyla & Weir – Sheppard/Teyla  
Prompt: Revelation  
Rating: PG  
Notes: for sacred20  
Summary: It hits him suddenly one day when they're sparring.

It hits him suddenly one day when they're sparring but he doesn't let on that he's just had an epiphany. He just keeps defending – it's no use trying to pretend he'd anywhere near ready to attempt an attack – and teasing, trying to distract her comments out of left field because he knows that if he lets himself think about what he's just realised, he'll most likely freak out.

In the meeting with Weir afterwards, he can't help but think about it. But it's suddenly not scary anymore; it feels familiar and he finds himself thinking of other things, maybe even concentrating on the budget review Elizabeth is subjecting him to.

In the shower later that night, the thought doesn't even cross his mind as he washes the last remnants of limey foam from his body. As he cleans his teeth, he thinks about it with a small smile and wonders what she'd think if she saw him with toothpaste on his chin.

When she lets herself into his quarters later that night, he greets her with a smile, a hug and a kiss but doesn't say anything to her about the revelation he'd had in the gym. He doesn't think there's any need because he's pretty sure that she already knows.

Because he's pretty sure he always has.


	4. Benediction

Title: Benediction

Fandom: Stargate Atlantis

Character/Pairing: Sheppard, Teyla – Sheppard/Teyla

Prompt: Benediction

Rating: PG-15

Notes: For sacred20 challenge.

Summary: This moment would be with him forever.

As her fingers traced over his collar bone his breath caught in his throat and he had to try especially hard to swallow past the lump in his throat. Her curious eyes followed the line her finger was drawing on his naked chest. He watched her, noting how her eyes darkened as his hand rose and traced the line of her waist.

This hadn't exactly what he'd meant when he'd invited her over for movie night but he couldn't exactly regret the turn the evening had taken.

He licked his lips as he watched her lower her head, her lips joining in the adventure her finger was on and he felt his breath leave him in one quick rush.

"Teyla..." he murmured her name, almost a benediction on his lips and she looked up, backlit by the hazy rays of sunset and he couldn't stop the slow smile that spread across his lips.

This woman was his.

He tugged her up his body, his lips seeking hers and he sighed against her mouth as he fingers found his skin again. She whispered his name against his lips and ever hair on his body stood on end at the sound and he sighed; this moment, sacred and beautiful, would be with him forever.


	5. Temptation

Title: Temptation  
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis  
Character/Pairing: Sheppard, Teyla – Sheppard/Teyla  
Prompt: Temptation  
Rating: PG-15  
Notes: Post "The Game".  
Summary: Who knew Teyla's neck could be so tempting?

John hissed quietly into his early morning cup of coffee and glared at the side of Teyla's head. He knew his reaction was ridiculously inappropriate; that she couldn't actually be aware just of just _how much _he enjoyed the way her neck looked in that top, with the way her hair was tied back. He clenched his jaw as he watched her turn her head, tilt it back and laugh at Rodney's breakfast antics. He could see the delicate lines of strong muscle stretch gracefully under skin and he forced his eyes away from her skin.

Moments later, he was staring again, watching as her fingers curled around the back of her neck as she licked the milk from her spoon, nodding along with something Ronon was saying. He licked his lips and shifted in his seat, glaring at Ronon who was smirking at him when he did eventually manage to look away from Teyla's neck for more than ten seconds.

--

Their mid morning briefing had been going well, John thought; he'd been happily ignoring Rodney as he prattled on about this planet that had the most amazing power output yada yada yada. It was pleasantly _boring_ which meant that he could tune out and it would become even more pleasant.

But then Teyla's fingers had curled around her neck again and started rubbing and John had almost bit through his pen when she dropped her head slightly and let out a small moan at her fingers' contact on her skin.

_Holy shit._

He shifted around in his seat and bit back his own groan, his eyes riveted on Teyla's fingers on her neck. If he really concentrated, he could see the gentle thrum-thrum-thrum of her pulse in her vein and he licked the back of his teeth, not willing to give in to the temptation of running his lips across her skin.

Not in public anyway.

Well, _shit_. If that thought didn't stir up all kinds of arousing thoughts, John didn't know what would.

He forced his eyes away when Elizabeth called his name – probably not for the first time – and ignored Ronon's gleeful smirk.

Damn Satedan thought he knew everything.

--

Lunch was agonising for John Sheppard.

He'd thought that sitting across from her would alleviate his desire to drag her off – caveman style – into the nearest empty room just so he could taste the warm skin of her neck. He'd thought wrong, obviously, because sitting across from her when she was wearing that top that showcased not just the delicate lines of her neck but also her collar bones and clavicle was just as bad – if not maybe even worse – than sitting next to her when she was wearing that top that showcased the length of her neck.

He sucked in a breath and shifted in his seat, ignoring the smirk that Ronon at least attempted to hide behind his foot long roll.

--

He didn't make it to his office.

In fact, after lunch had ended, he hadn't made it much further than the supply closet outside the mess hall.

What made this fact a little more bearable was the fact that Teyla hadn't either.

He'd been walking behind her, listening to Rodney moan about something or other, when she'd reached out to scratch – _delicately rub her fingers over_ – her neck and he'd snapped. He'd grabbed her arm and pulled her forcibly into the first empty room, ignoring Rodney's guffaw and Ronon's obnoxious laughter.

--

At dinner, John sat beside Teyla and let his fingers rub the spot on the back of her neck that had been bothering her all morning. He spooned his soup into his mouth with one hand, chatting amiably with Rodney as they waited for Ronon to gather enough food to feed a small army.

He pointedly dropped his hand from Teyla's neck when Ronon slid in across from them, smirking smugly when Ronon's eyes dropped to Teyla's neck in curiousity before his eyes widened and he flicked his eyes to Sheppard, the two of them grinning like teenagers.

John nodded, answering the unasked question, biting the inside of his cheek.

Yeah, he really had given Teyla a hickey.


	6. Man of Teyla

Title: Man of Teyla  
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis  
Character/Pairing: Sheppard, Teyla – Sheppard/Teyla  
Prompt: **Priest  
**Rating: PG  
Notes: for sacred20  
Summary: John Sheppard's not sure he still believes in God but he's pretty sure being with Teyla is a religious experience.

.

John Sheppard's not sure he still believes in God but he's pretty sure being with Teyla is a religious experience. He's pretty sure she's a Goddess, with the way she feels beneath him and he knows the skin he feels pressed against his own is hallowed ground. He is reverent with his touch, knowing he's been granted access to the most sacred of gifts; forget frankincense and myrrh, the taste and smell of Teyla is worth a forty day trek through just about anything.

She murmurs something and he's instantly regretful that he's not paying better attention; he only hopes she doesn't want him to inscribe her words on any slabs because he knows he's been a pretty bad follower. He hears her laugh and he looks up to her dark eyes and she strokes her fingers over his face; the skin tingles in her wake and his body pauses at her touch. She arches her back, her lips seeking his and his breath leaves him in a shudder as her scent washes over him. Her fingers dance down his spine and he drops to his forearms over her as her magic seeps into his bones, weakening him.

"Teyla..."

It's almost a prayer and she responds with a breathy kiss to his throat and he's gone. He's lost to her, immersed in her and he knows he'll never find a way out. That he probably wouldn't want to, even if he could.

He may not be a man of God, but he's definitely a man of Teyla and he'll worship at the temple of her body for as long as she'll have him.


	7. Heavenly Existence

Title: Heavenly Existence  
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis  
Character/Pairing: Sheppard, Teyla – Sheppard/Teyla  
Prompt: Heaven  
Rating: PG-13  
Notes: For Sacred20 challenge  
Summary: He's pretty sure her existence is evidence of heaven.

He was floating. He could feel nothing beneath him or above him, no solidity, no air, no wind. It was odd. Liberating. Weird as fuck while being ridiculously enjoyable. There was neither darkness nor light, just the awareness of existing and he revelled in it. Because really, how often did he get to just exist without actually being?

There was a weight on his hand, a softness that belied his existential floating-ness. It was soft and warm and welcoming, an anchor to the reality and he almost wanted to wish it away. But then a sound, soft and angelic breached the barrier and he came down from his high landing amongst softness and purity. The sound became louder, yet still soft, his awareness of reality kicking in and he blinked back into being.

Her face was above him and she was smiling down at him, breathtakingly beautiful. Her lips brushed his cheek and suddenly he was floating again.

He may not be religious but he's pretty sure her existence is evidence of heaven.


End file.
